November 8 2001
Vol. 93, Issue 3
NCCU trustee Bell elected Durham mayor
In a race seen by some as a showdown between slow growth and unimpeded development, Bill Bell wins a narrow victory.
By Marla Luster
Echo Assistant Editor
Bill Bell, an N.C. Central University trustee, was elected mayor of Durham Tuesday over two-term incumbent Nick Tennyson by 366 votes, or 1.1 percent, according to unofficial results.
Bell, a Democrat, served as county commissioner for 22 years.
Beginning Dec. 3, Bell will lead Durham's first seven-member city council, down from 13.
Bell, 60, had support from The Durham Committee on the Affairs of Black People, People's Alliance, and the city workers unions.
As mayor, Bell, told the Herald Sun in a Nov. 6 article that he will "declare a war on slums and blight" by making it a priority to develop inner-city neighborhoods, not just the suburbs.
“I would try to focus my energies and the city’s energies into improving the city’s neighborhoods,” Bell told the Herald Sun.
He said the city would work with developers to provide whatever resources the neighborhoods need to get rid of boarded up, abandoned houses and establish affordable housing.
Bell said he also wants to focus on lowering Durham's crime rate by bringing together the city police and county sheriffs.
Bell said he will host forums for residents, police, sheriffs and elected officials.
According to Bell, he also wants to provide good financial leadership for the city.
During the campaign Bell criticized his Republican opponent Tennyson for not adequately researching Triangle Economic Development Corp., the firm hired to run the small-business loan program.
Officials believe that many of the 24 small businesses that received $828,000 of federal money from the state do not exist, according a Nov. 6 Herald Sun article.
Tennyson’s role as executive vice president of the Home Builders Association of Durham and Orange Counties posed a conflict of interest.
Bell is chairman of the Triangle Transit Authority board of trustees.
Bell promised that, as mayor, he would build a stronger relationship among the schools, the county and the city. Bell received a master's degree in electrical engineering from NYU.
School bond passes
In a more contentious race, the school bonds issue in Durham was resolved with a 234-86 victory in favor of the $52 million allocation for Durham schools. It was among five bonds on the ballot, all of which passed.
The Durham Committee on the Affairs of Black People and the Durham chapter of the NAACP opposed the bond. Their argument was that black children are not succeeding in public schools when a disproportionate number of black students repeat grades, are suspended, drop out, and are placed in low-performance classes. Another complaint cites the omission of schools like C.C. Spalding and W.G. Pearson on the school system ‘s list of renovations.
NCCU Board of Trustees
MEMBER LISTING
(as of July, 2006):
| Mr. Cressie H. Thigpen, Jr., Chair Thigpen, Blue, Stephens & Fellers Post Office Box 1730 Raleigh , NC 27602 o) (919) 833-1931 h) (919) 847-1472 f) (919) 833-8009 e-mail: cressiet@tbsf-law.com |
Mr. Eric C. Michaux Post Office Box 2152 Durham , North Carolina 27702 o) (919) 596-8181 f) (919) 596-8183 e-mail: emichaux@aol.com |
| Mrs. Kay T. Thomas, Vice Chair 1837 Augustus Drive Rocky Mount , NC 27801 h) (252) 977-3451 f) (252) 977-3828 e-mail: kaythoma@cox.net |
Mrs. Nancy J. Wysenski EMD Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 3201 Shannon Road Suite 500 Durham, NC 27707 o) (919) 401-7139 h) (919) 384-8888 f) (919) 401-7165 e-mail: |
| Mr. George W. Miller, III, Secretary Haywood, Denny & Miller, LLP Post Office Box 51429 Durham , NC 27717 o) (919) 403-0000 h) (919) 493-1430 f) (919) 403-0001 e-mail: gwm3@hdmllp.com |
Mr. W. Travis Porter Maupin Taylor , PA Post Office Box 13646 Research Triangle Park , NC 27709 o) (919) 361-4900 h) (919) 489-4928 f) (919) 361-2262 e-mail: tporter@maupintaylor.com |
| Mr. Glenn B. Adams Mitchell, Brewer, Richardson, Adams, Burge & Boughman Post Office Box 190 Fayetteville, NC 28302 o) (910) 223-1400 h) (910) 822-4578 f) (910) 485-1021 e-mail: glenn.adams@abb-law.com |
Mr. R. Edward Stewart UDI Community Development Corp. Post Office Box 1349 Durham , NC 27707 o) (919) 544-4597 h) (919) 688-1487 f) (919) 544-4609 e-mail: redwardstewart@udicdc.org |
| Mr. Charles J. Baron 1328 Juniper Street, NW Washington , DC 20012 h) (202) 722-1850 f) (202) 722-0580 e-mail: chkjbaron@aol.com |
Mr. Robert C. Williams 2713 Rosehill Road Fayetteville , NC 28301 h) (910) 488-7587 f) (910) 488- 6465 e-mail: rcwmshsd@earthlink.net |
| Mr. Robert E. Dolan Merck & Co. Inc. Post Office Box 4-WP-36-M-4 West Point , PA 19486-0004 o) (215) 652-3464 h) (215) 368-1049 f) (215) 993-3400 e-mail: robert_dolan@merck.com |
Mr. Mukhtar Raqib, SGA President North Carolina Central University Post Office Box 20571 Durham, NC 27707 c) (202) 409-0809 f) (919) 530-7958 e-mail: mraqib0716@mail.nccu.edu |
| Bishop Eddie Long New Birth Missionary Baptist Church Post Office Box 1019 Lithonia , GA 30058 o) (770) 696-9669 f) (770) 696-9681 e-mail: amclaughlin@newbirth.org |